The Halfa Dilemma
by Madnesz23
Summary: Something strange is going down as someone started to affect both the Human world and the Ghost Zone, ghosts of Danny's friends and foes are suddenly turned into halfas like him, will they discover who is behind this scheme and stop it or will it get out of hand. Leave a comment or review and thank you for reading.
1. Chapter 1

Danny Phantom doesn't belong to me, but an OC does, so thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy...

* * *

She... wasn't sure where the idea came from, after all, she was Ember McLain, the ever-confident rock star, she didn't have need for doubts, she was rebellion in the teen spirit, so what was she doing, far from her home in the Ghost Zone and in the Human world?  
It was crazy, weird even, but through the ghost vine, there was word of... someone experimenting with ghost abilities, tampering with ectoplasmic strengths and weaknesses, sending a majority of the Ghost Zone into a panic, but Ember... she was different as she took the chance, zooming past Dipstick's patrol and taking to the hills close by, suppressing her own power long enough for the ghost boy to not track her and breathed with relief as he headed back to Amity Park. She took off again in search of this person before she reached the far edge of Amity, the exact position was not given, just hushed voices and tones as she looked around a bit more before she felt it, a surge...  
"Bingo..." She landed on the ground, her legs forming under her from the extended power as she walked to the truck of a great tree, though some of the branches looked to be metallic as she stopped and readied her guitar to blast the tree open before it opened up a hidden passage with a hiss and out stepped a cloaked figure, she still holding the powerful tool as she spoke. "Word on the street is that you are dealing with ghosts, you got something to prove?"  
"Amber T. McLain..." Ember stopped short, how did this figure know her full, human name as it extended a hand and out came several sheets of paper. "Cause of death being a mix of a shattered heart and a intense house fire, witnesses couldn't find the body, as if it was taken away by the flames, ashes and all." The arm dropped as the figure continued, Ember ready for combat in case. "You are correct, I am tampering with ectoplasmic powers and abilities, but I am currently researching a different method..." A bright, white smile seemed to glow from under the darkness of the hood. "...A method of transacting ghosts into full-formed, human personalities, as in how does one convert a ghost into a hybrid of human and ghost DNA." Ember stumbled back some, something about this figure was not right, she could feel her core shuddering at the tone and behavior, was he testing her or treating her like a test subject and he the ever-insane scientist.  
She shook her head and breathed as she readied herself for combat. "Well, you won't get the chance, 'cause I'm shutting you down!" She strummed out a maelstrom of fire at the figure and smiled as it consumed him, but the emotion dropped as the fire slipped on past and seemed to generate behind him as a sole white eye stared into her soul.

"Unwise to fight, you have much to learn, but I suppose years, perhaps even decades in the Ghost Zone has made you headstrong to the threats beyond yourself, I can always find more suitable candidates for my research, you really don't need an encore to come back from this." Ember was right in dodging as her own fire, her own attack, came straight back for her as she took to the air and evaded the attack, fire enveloping the landscape as she tried to blast more, but it looked to her that, while the attacks were affecting the figure, they just barely touch before coming to his control and striking back at her, she didn't see where she was moving when she was suddenly hit, her right arm getting blasted and she felt like the limb was knocked out of its socket, she grimacing as she gripped it and landed from the figure in hiding as she waited for her healing to fix the damage, the figure speaking. "Do you believe that you can manage this, I have just started out and I have glazed so much research from a man calling himself 'Plasmius', his notes were quite detailed and refined, but lack in the basics, his vision must have been quite shrewd for someone, he never pressed it a different way." Ember heard about Vlad Masters, guy was changed and had a mind for the Fenton's maternal member, some woman named Maddie, but Ember was pushing it out as she bit her lip as the limb and socket reattached itself, she just needed a few minutes to be fully combat-ready. "Now lesser spirits and souls cannot achieve a full transformation as they lose personality and behavior first and are only roaming entities, but spirits that linger onto their past lives, still wear an appearance that can resonate with them can be treated, the only question is if they possess enough strength to undertake the process I have in mind."  
"I'm not your plaything!" Ember shouted as she phased out, getting behind as the arm returned, and she blasted him from behind, not enough time for him to project whatever he used to blast her, sending him flying before he skid across the ground and stood up, grabbing the cloak a bit before swishing it out as he spoke.  
"Resistance... you have got quite the spirit in you." Ember didn't blink, nor did she take her eyes off the figure, but one moment he was a fair distance away, the next he was up close, hand sparking as he delivered a uppercut, blasting Ember into the trunk of the tree as her guitar shattered to pieces from the impact. She couldn't stay conscious as the figure walked over to her fallen form against the tree. "Now, I understand that consent is not required at this present time as your senses are shutting down, despite your ghostly abilities, and I am the 'villain' here, but I can only ask you to help me in a little project... of mine..." Ember blacked out as she felt being lifted up and taken away, going somewhere unknown...

* * *

Danny Phantom didn't have time to worry as a recent Ghost Portal surge had his hands full, allowing him to go ghost and deal with all of them, but the sense of concern filled him as Ember McLain was unaccounted for, she just zoomed off to some point of the town and he attempted to go after her, but she just... vanished before he focused on the rest of them. After returning them back to the Portal, he set out to find her before she led another band revolt, but... nothing, his senses weren't going off, he couldn't find her and any trace of her presence was not seen or shown, leaving him to make up a 'hangout' with Tucker and Sam at Nasty Burger to settle his mind as Tucker spoke to the downtrodden Danny. "Hey, man, cheer up, so what if Ember's out and about, we can get her at any point."  
"Easy for you to say, 'God's Gift'." Sam seemingly growled as she turned to Danny and spoke. "If Ember is about, she should have made a move by now, maybe we have a chance to find out her plans before she does anything."  
"Maybe... it was just weird..." Danny sat up and explained. "Usually, she would have made a threat like 'time to rock you out of this world, Phan-dork', but she just flew on by, my folks still blasting both the ghosts and me, so I just feel like the lack of a threat directed AT me is just a sudden kick in the gut." Danny sighed as he started to munch on some fries. "Here's to hoping that she doesn't do anything in the summer." Sam and Tucker nodded as they enjoyed their food or just Tucker and Danny as Sam enjoyed a packed vegan lunch as they turned to more normal things, like going to the water park for some 'summer fun and relaxation'...

* * *

Ember stirred a bit before she groaned, holy crap was she hurting all over, how did one punch do so much damage to her as her eyes adjusted with her groan, only to be stared at by a set of goggles, one side a normal blue lens while the other was like three size-differing lenses as the figure spoke. "Excellent, you're awake, now we can begin with consent." She glanced down to find that she was bound down to a table usually seen in those monster movies, her power drained as she couldn't phase through the bindings, the figure walking to the other side to a small terminal as it continued. "Now then, this won't hurt too badly, your strength will likely return from this as well." Ember struggled to escape, but it was too late as suddenly, electrodes surged through her, her voice finding purchase as she screamed, her lungs pumping the sound out as her eyes welled with tears, the pain was too intense, it was too much as it felt like thousands of needles pricking her ghostly body before the feeling started to... lessen, glancing down to see what was changing. It was subtle, but not impossible to miss as her skin... started to lighten with her gear, the black fading to a tan brown as one final surge sent her over the edge in her scream, the feeling cresting over her as her whole being shared the treatment, light skin and tan brown gear before it finished at her head, her fiery hair turning to a light red tone with a running strand of teal remaining to point to her ghostly abilities as the pain faded and she caught her breath. "So, my analysis was correct, by using a different method of ectoplasmic refinement, I have effectively altered a ghost's DNA structure to utilize human genes, making them a 'halfa' in other words, but further tests will have to be made before one can call this a full success."  
Once Ember had collected enough of her breath, she spoke in anger. "What the heck is your problem, I will not just lay here and be insulted by turning into some sort of test subject for you, you crazed..." She stopped as the figure moved from behind the terminal and moved a full body mirror in before heading back over to the terminal, adjusting the table until she was looking at... herself, in a human form with amaze filling her violet eyes. Any more was lost as she took it all in, her light red of hair with the long teal, the light brown of her rocker look, and the darker tone of white, she was, without any doubts, turned into a living being again, albeit looking a heck of a lot more different than her past self, but it was a huge discovery as she unconsciously asked. "...What's your request?"  
"Some help, if you can provide it." The figure undid the bindings and Ember rubbed her wrists before she followed the figure to the far left, where a board was set up, a lot of tech stuff that she could guess Technis could be given a run for his money. "Now, you understand that I have been operating to understand and utilize ectoplasmic or ghost abilities in a more conventional method, being able to convert ghosts into halfas is also an excellent turn, but what I require for a further testing... is a pure-blood halfa."  
Ember paused as she looked at the figure. "Pure-blood halfa? All halfas are half bloods of both human and ghost genes, what is considered..."  
"One that was exposed to a severe blast of ectoplasmic power or vise versa." Using whatever tech, the figure motioned with its fingers and a display appeared before Ember's eyes as he scripted some stuff. "I have looked for a noticeable amount of time, but the best source of such is one special case, supposedly the 'hero' of Amity Park." So that is the case, this figure was looking for Danny Phantom and is in belief that whatever the guy was, he was the more valued member at the moment. "Someone among the residents are not who they fully say they are, and it is up to the both of us to find them."

Ember rubbed her jaw in thought before she asked. "And how would I find them, you turned me into..."  
"A halfa, one whose senses may be late, due to the operation, but has quite the newfound strength with them, as you may observe." He tossed a small orb that glowed eerie green, confusing the rock star before her breath exhaled out with a plume of flames, surprising her as with it, she sensed another ghostly presence. "This small device emits the same ghost presence as another, albeit a lesser spirit, but it triggers any form of ghost senses one may have, do you know what that means...?" Her eyes were wide in surprise as she COMPLETELY felt it and it was amazing that it even worked before she uncovered her mouth and paused before the flames plumed out again as the figure finally shut the orb down, gripping it in his palm as it was pulled back under the cloak. "Now... what say you to some additional practice?" Ember paused before she smiled.  
"Oh no, not practice..." On a whim, she constructed her guitar again with her ghost powers, turning into Ember once more with the hair switching colors with the strand now red. "Anarchy..." The figure smiled as he nodded before leading her to the back, where a training field was set up beforehand...


	2. Chapter 2

Upon giving the changed Ember the chance to experiment with her newfound strength in her run of the training field, designed to withstand ghost powers, the figure watched as the systems recorded her combat and style, based on her mastery of the guitar, but she was rushing it as she pushing herself so he took a moment to jump down and snatch her wrist as she nearly blasted another dummy apart, her glare strong, but his was stronger. "What are you trying to prove, you have a decent amount of power, focus and belief, but you are being reckless right now, you keep pumping like that and you are going to..." Any more was silenced as Ember hurled him across the room and he skid for a few yards before he stood up, cracking his neck as he spoke, a aggressive tone to his voice, clearly this one needs to learn her lesson the hard way. "You wish to play it like that, then let's play." Ember's attacks were strong, that was for certain, but she was pushing, pressing herself for more strength, strength that she just couldn't use within seconds of the operation, as he batted the attacks and blows aside and dodged before he swept under and pinned her down as he continued. "For what little attention you can give, mind telling me what's got you in such a heated mood?" Ember stopped as she started to breathe after a short attempt to struggle, her mind pacing itself as she calmed down, she was so angry, but why...? She stopped, she just remembered, it was the day of her death, no wonder she was pumping more out, she was just dying to hurt someone badly for her own sake.  
"Eh... sorry, the date... I was suddenly sure that it was the day I died..." The figure nodded as Ember continued, she felt free to explain her problem. "Look, I know that I shouldn't be upset, no one else was at fault for what happened, but I guess with the rush of being... human again, I just let my emotions surge out as well, I guess my anarchy is not going to happen, huh?"  
"Just not in the way you see." Her eyes widened as the figure helped her up. "There is a ectoplasmic spike going on at the Amity Zoo, we are going to investigate."  
"The Zoo, who would..." She stopped and facepalmed as she knew who. "Shulker, it has got to be Skulker, he is always hunting for the next big prize, Phantom is still the 'uncaught' prey to him."

"Then let us not waste anymore time for now, it is time for the hunter to become the hunted." Ember nodded as her strength quickly returned, maybe from the surge she was still riding on as they headed for the Zoo...

* * *

Within a minute of traveling through the nightly domain of Amity, Ember and the Figure soon arrived to the Zoo where the animals were in a full panic as she commented. "Shulker must really not be wanting to be subtle this time, I don't think he could have been any more 'subtle' than shouting about his prizes."  
"Well, if the Ghost Zone's greatest hunter is wandering around, I would like to have a few words with him." They pressed on into the zoo and looked about, the sound of the animals somewhat throwing them off before Ember exhaled, a puff of flames coming out and the figure knew as he shouted. "Dodge left!" They shattered as a volley of rockets riddled the spot they were in before the figure commented with a chuckle. "Well, so much for diplomacy." Ember chuckled as well as she switched forms, using her new halfa abilities to her advantage before she blasted the spot where the rockets came from with firebolts, but she biffed it as there was no sign of him, she sneering as another volley fired from the side, she getting most of them except one which the Figure stopped by grabbing it and looking at the weapon as they dodged back down and he spoke. "It's a trap, Shulker must have been waiting for Phantom, but he registered you first."  
"When did I get as strong as dipstick!?" Ember shouted as another blast nearly knocked her off her crouch.  
"It is possible that you are riding on the surge of power, if that is the case, then it is time for anarchy, turn the dial to the many!" The Figure covered their face as another blast came before Ember, having spotted the change in her guitar and turning the dial to it, started to rip it as from nowhere, hordes of special rioters surged out and swarmed the zoo, the blasts suddenly losing their targets as the attack struck all over, metal ringing out and yells echoing as Ember continued to strum, but it was clear that she was suddenly getting exhausted and she had to stop, but Shulker was not one to wait as he blasted through in his mech, the riot halting from several blasts before he lined the shot on Ember, heedless of who she was at the time.  
"Got you in my sights, Ghost Kid." A single rocket flew true, but the Figure stopped it with a grab and crushed it as he glared back.

"It's time for the hunter to become the hunted..." Shulker was heedless to the sudden strike as the same technique was used, one second there, but the next, he delivered a devastating punch into the armor, physically destroying the armor as he went into a flurry of punches that Shulker couldn't hold up, Ember surprised at the fury that the Figure possessed as he literally was boxing Shulker to bits as the hunter tried to return the blows in vain before a uppercut wasted Shulker, the Figure standing up before walking over to Ember as she spoke.  
"What are you...?"  
"You may call me... Abram, for the time being, Miss McLain..." She soon fainted from the exhaustion, but he caught her as he lifted her up and glanced to the sides as her breath puffed more flames. "Right on que, time to get moving." He dashed out, seemingly spectral as he passed by a young geek and a goth girl...

* * *

Danny had a feeling that Shulker was just waiting for him to come, most likely to 'capture' him as a trophy, but the feeling with his breath was different, like there were two in the Amity Zoo, but who as he zoned in. "Better deal with the hunter before I go looking further." But upon arriving, something was really strange as Shulker was there, but his whole body, his armor was thoroughly devastated and beaten that he didn't really have to do too much to put him into the Thermos as Sam and Tucker soon arrived and Tucker cheered. "Man, that was the quickest that you have ever defeated a ghost, even Box Ghost took some time."  
"It wasn't me this time." Both stopped smiling as a look of worry crossed their faces. "Shulker was like this when I got here, someone else took him down and his armor... I couldn't do that much damage, he is one of the tougher ghosts that I face." Sam hummed as she asked.  
"So you think that someone else is behind this, but that is impossible, me and Tucker didn't see anyone leave or go and you would have noticed any other ghosts here."  
"Well, that's a bummer..." Tucker grumbled as he checked his PDA. "I guess that I should shut off my recording for the battle." He shut it off and played it for the chuckles, but stopped when some caught his attention. "Wait up, what's that...?" Both Danny and Sam looked as Tucker played the recording and they also saw it, some blurred past the pair as they were heading in. "I'll try slowing it down some more."  
"Also use the infrared filter." Sam questioned and the clip played as they watched it happen, but what they spotted was a average-sized individual draped in a cloak, carrying someone past the pair and the fact that they didn't even see them met that they were either ghosts or... something was bigger before Sam asked the apparent question. "Who's the person being carried past us?" Danny looked for the details before nothing hit him as he started it off.  
"Looks like a girl, but I don't recognize any remarkable details."

"Well, maybe we can get some research in this and find out more about this figure." Tucker said as he started to cross-reference for any matches as Sam joined in.  
"In the meantime, let's keep an eye out for any more crazy things, you be careful, Danny."  
"Got it, you two be careful too." He took off into the night as the pair headed back home for both to investigate while he continued to deal with the ghosts that now roamed the town, his new thoughts swarming his mind as he tried to figure out just one bit of the new puzzle. Yet, nothing came to mind as to this new appearance, this figure that merely passed Sam and Tucker without even trying to attack them...

* * *

Abram watched from a distance as he rested in the top of the tree lab, observing the hero as he fought the ghosts that filled the town. He found his target, but attacking him while he was in his combative form would be unwise, instead he needed to approach him while he was normal and unprepared so that he could get his hands on the strand, but first, he waited for Ember to wake up as it seemed like her body was not ready quite yet to be part of anarchy, to use a very powerful attack than what she was used to and he was a fool... He was the one who called for it, she just wasn't ready for it as he folded his arms and continued to watch. "Soon, Phantom, I will uncover your true identity and your DNA will be mine to experiment with." It was not chaos that compelled Abram to this action, it was tests, a will to go beyond what people initially believe, the ghosts were untapped and could yield to more than just power, advancements, changes, and effects that could be more than normal, they would be amazing. He pulled out a pocket watch and watched as the time turned to the beat, the new day coming and he was free to do what he pleased and not what others desire for him to do as he put it away and glanced at his hand before smirking. "Guess I better get myself a short boost in muscle before I head out in search of the other half of Phantom." He jumped down and entered the tree, it closing behind him as the events of Amity Park had begun to change for better or worse, none would have the answers to the whole thing.


	3. Chapter 3

Danny kept himself awake as he readied up for the day, Tucker wanted to head to the water park for some 'picking-up chicks' time, but he was more interested in the recent attack, Sam had shortly assured him that she was looking into it and was bringing her tech to the water park, planning to stay out of the water for the time being as Danny got dress in jeans, a dark-green shirt, and open hoodie with his usual shoes before sweeping his bag to get dressed in the park, both his folks bid him luck with Jazz as Danny continued on to the world as he looked about before joining up with his friends as they approached the entrance and continued on as the gate member let them pass, the park in full swing as all three readied in their swimwear and met at the snack bar that was set up for the summer. "So, Sam, you have anything on the figure or the person it was carrying?"  
"Nothing so far." Sam mused as she tapped on the keyboard, checking over the angles. "Nothing about this figure matches with the Ghost Database and the girl in the arms is not matching either, I can try to scramble some colors across the picture and image, but it is going to be impossible to be sure." Sam shook her head as she continued, closing the device as she turned to Danny. "I don't know what to tell you guys, but this is a new threat on Amity, we need to figure it out." However, they were soon found by the A-lister football players as their lead shouted.  
"Hey, Fenton!" Danny glanced back and grimaced as Dash had found them and approached as the others looked at the same as the jock made his standing. "About time I found my favorite punching bag, I got all the summer to have my fun, Fenton." Sam moved to stop it when the laptop was taken and tossed behind and Dash continued. "Now, get ready for the first..."  
"Drop it and you may still have your arm intact." All stopped as Dash turned to a semi-built teen with a pair of shades on him and with a teen musician, both in swimwear under covering clothing. In the teen's hand was Sam's laptop as he continued, gesturing from the hip as he continued. "I give you ten seconds to leave the guy alone before this gets messy." Dash released Danny's shirt as he gestured to the sides that the other players moved to contain as he started.  
"You don't get it, this is between me and Fenton, no one else will get in the middle of that unless they are asking for some damage."

"Go dunk your head in the pool." The teen gestured to the huge pool as he continued, unimpressed with the jock's size. "Maybe it will help cool your hothead of a balloon." Dash was steamed and Danny nearly went to save the guy, but the swing was quickly caught with the teen's leg gripping it before the guy rolled toward the pool and released, somehow tossing the top jock, Dash Baxter, into the water as the teen stood back up, the girl chuckling as the teen spoke. "Anyone else want to be forced into the water?" None of the A-listers took the challenge as they quickly rushed away, leaving the pair to stand in silence before they both walked over and the teen returned the laptop to the goth. "I believe this is yours?"  
"Hey, thanks." Sam was gleeful at the proper gentleman as she cleared her throat. "Though I think that you have made yourself the top target on Dash's list."  
"Let me worry about that." Danny was not sure, but something was off as the pair took a seat, the girl looked very familiar to him, like change the skin to pale white, add a rocker attire, and give her a crazy guitar and flaming hair, and she would be a dead ringer for Ember. "Now, we haven't introduced each other, have we?"  
"Name's Tucker Foley and I am the guy for dating advice." The geek tried to play it smooth, but the girl rolled her eyes, crushing his hopes as Sam was next with a smile.  
"Manson. Sam Manson. Don't listen to the geek, he has better luck with his tech than with girls." Tucker yelped a 'Hey' as Danny just continued to stare at the pair, the more he looked, the more it felt... strange with the both of them, something was wrong as he glanced away and opened his mouth a bit and the wisp of frost flew out and his eyes glanced to the girl and her breath exhaled with... fire!? He nearly stated for her to be a dragon ghost like Princess Dora before yelps of help emerged in the park as some crazy ghost was rampant through the place as Danny quickly spoke.

"Get to cover, I'll go get some help!" They did so as he dashed off to find a good place to change as he spoke in his dash. "I'm going ghost!" Soon, his appearance changed to his combat persona of Danny Phantom, iconized with the signature D and P on his suit as he zoomed out to fight, hoping that what he spotted was real and not a part of his mind playing tricks...

* * *

Abram and Ember took cover as she started it off. "Darn it, that kid was giving me the stink eye big time."  
"Not a problem right now, Miss McLain." She nodded as the young man tampered with his glasses and they hummed to a dark-green color as he spoke. "The ghost is a ectoplasmic aberration, projected on a scale far surpassing telekinetic prowess for lesser spirits, meaning that there is an ectoplasmic spectral presence somewhere in this aquatic playground."  
"Uh, English, Professor?" Ember questioned with a raised brow.  
"It's a fake, it may fight and affect the land around it, but it is nothing more than a projection, a manifestation of someone else's mind. the power being slightly more than they can handle." The glasses turned with Abram's gaze as if to trace a line to the projector. "This is a new one, must be a ghost with some small ability over water, but can't control it, too much here."  
"Want me to torch the punk?" Abram shook his head and he turned to look at Ember in their crouched hiding spot.

"Not wise, we have to use a different method if we want to deal with Phantom and his other half, whoever it is." Abram glanced past and searched the park of shrieking patrons and employees as the hero dealt with the monster. "Hit, there is an ectoplasmic presence near the showers, but we don't possess any sort of capture unit that can both take the ghost and cut the link both projection and host." Ember turned to look at Sam as the goth quickly pulled out something familiar and she nodded as she manifested her guitar into existence before turning the dial. "You have a method?"  
"Yeah, I just need to keep the connection, hopefully no one notices... though to be fair, I should have been noticed when I created my guitar." Ember started to strum a short section and Sam quickly fell under the spell, her violet eyes changing color as she shook her head to repel it. "There is some resistance, but it is going to be a piece of cake."  
"Direct her over, it's the large white structure with the blue roof, by the coaster." The rocker nodded as Sam jumped up and charged for the showers, Tucker close behind as he shouted for a explanation, nothing to be solved as Ember closed her eyes and let her short control be her eyes and she lead both of them to the place where a ill-formed ghost was having a mental breakdown and Sam used the Thermos on the spirit, no defenses up from the breakdown so it was sucked in with no trouble as the aberration disappeared, the hero looked confused before bolting for the two as Ember stopped and breathed.  
"Ow... I think doing it in my human form was a lot more draining than in my ghost form."  
"It's okay, at least we know now, right?" She nodded as the shades returned to normal and both stood up as the Sam and Tucker returned with their friend, impossible as he had gone for help, the puzzle wasn't too difficult to solve, but Abram let it slide for now as He rushed over in concern. "Is everyone okay?"

"Yeah, but Sam's not looking too good." Tucker commented as Sam shook her head again. "She went chasing after something and found something else in the showers."  
"Ugh... Tucker, the proper term is ghost and we saw one in the showers." The goth shook her head a bit more as she continued, Ember's influence fading off. "I don't know what happened, but it felt like someone put me under their control and sent me running for the ghost in the first place, the timing of the capture must have also affected the big ghost."  
"Yeah, it did." Fenton said as she leaned on him. "One minute it was clashing with Phantom, and the next it just disappeared without a trace, whatever the ghost was, I'm sure my folks can check it out." He lead the way out as he continued. "Let's go, it's been a crazy pool time." The pair remained watching before Ember glanced at Abram and asked.  
"You think we should hit now?"  
"No, he is on guard, he knows something is up, but he has to tend with his friend first and not in public, he has to find us in private and confront us about it." Abram lightly removed the shades and continued with blue eyes. "So, what other ghosts could we make use of, Ember McLain?"

"I know a few, but we need some bait, some good bait."  
"Well then..." He smirked at the thought. "I guess we have a lot of planning to do and you can possibly spread the word in your way." Ember smiled as well as the plan was starting to turn, the cogs rotating for the next idea to come...

* * *

Danny knew something was off as Sam rested in his room with Tucker, she was struck with a familiar ghostly power and it slightly drained her, she wasn't sick, but he knew, the power was Ember's, but where did she come from, she didn't rock the park nor appear any way close, so he returned to the Fenton Computer and started to go through the archive, all of the ghosts he had encountered and met all filed in before he opened Ember's file and it still was 'UNDEFINED' as to her whereabouts. His trip through the Ghost Zone after the whole thing yielded nothing as Dora herself told him that there shouldn't be any other dragon ghosts in the Zone, only her brother and her have the amulets to transform and they don't have the senses that Danny has, so he was stuck at a crosswalk.  
Who was the girl he met at the park and who was the guy next to her that showed skill and understanding. These questions roamed his head before he decided to search for another, getting into the Fenton Speeder and heading into the Ghost Zone, his folks gave their approval to search for answers as he zoomed through and into the void that was the Zone, looking for someone in general before giving a whistle, the howl of a creature getting his attention as a werewolf ghost in inmate clothing and chains came bounding for him before stopping on the hood of the Speeder and Danny started. "Hey, Wulf, glad to see you're still doing good."  
"As you too, friend, what Wulf do for you?" The ghost spoke in broken English as Danny spoke in explanation.  
"I need some help finding Ember McLain, she has gone missing in both the Zone and in my world, but she recently did something in Amity's water park, can you help?"  
"Wulf will help, McLain's disappearance very odd to start with, Kitty and Johnny go to search as well." Just his luck, if Johnny 13 and Kitty were looking for her too, then they might have headed through the Ghost Portal to Amity, but they couldn't do too much damage as he turned the Speeder around.  
"Got it, if you find anything, Wulf, you know where we can meet." He saluted as the werewolf did the same as they parted ways, the search of Ember growing bigger than expected.


	4. Chapter 4

Johnny 13 searched on the request of his girlfriend, Kitty, as she gripped on tight as the motorcycle, having past through the Ghost Portal with ease, something Johnny guessed meant that Phantom was in the Zone right now and no one had closed the door before him, ripped across Amity's streets and roads as he asked. "Are you sure that Ember is still out here, she couldn't have gone too far, right babe?"  
"I don't know, Johnny, she was weird when those talks started to flood into the Zone, something about experiments and ghost powers." Johnny nodded as his Shadow kept with them as well, the entire Ghost Zone was scared from rumors that someone was harnessing ghost powers and abilities, their fears being that they could be gearing to attack the Zone and nothing could stop them short as Johnny continued to ride with his eyes searching as people ran about or screamed at the coming ghosts, they didn't need to worry right now as they zoomed off to an isolated section of road and they took a breath as Johnny remained on his cycle while Kitty, getting off, shouted for her friend. "EMBER, ARE YOU THERE, EMBER!" Nothing but silence filled the air as Kitty's shoulder slumped and she groaned before heading back to the bike, both looking worse for wear from searching when a voice spoke.  
"You shouldn't have followed me out here." Johnny didn't know how nor did he spot her, but as Kitty whipped about, a clocked figure stood on the other side of the road, but in brown rock gloves was a familiar guitar, but modified and having additional dials. Johnny extended an arm to stop Kitty as the figure continued. "Kitty and Johnny 13, I should have known that I was going to have some late comers following me."  
"Ember, what happened, what are you doing here?" The figure hummed as if to find the words before deciding a simple set.  
"It's not exactly your business, but I am currently... different. I have been changed and you may not like it." She made no attempt to strum as the trio looked at each in confusion. "Let's just say... those rumors were not too far-fetched than we actually guessed."

"But what's this got to do with the rumors?" Ember paused before lifting a hand to the hood and removing it, both ghosts gasping as Shadow looked dumbfounded as Ember looked actually alive, her skin no longer pale white, but like a normal teen, her rock makeup changed to a single patch over the left eye with violet staring back at them. Her hair didn't blaze as it was a bright red with a long strand of teal over the right eye. The shock shortly disappeared from Johnny as he whistled in surprise, leaning on the handlebars. "Man, I thought those rumors were jokes, but it's hard to tell that you are still Ember McLain here."  
"Thanks... I guess I am also taking this in stride as well..." She ran a hand through her hair in her pause before she continued. "But, at the same time, I am currently in low profile, the guy from the rumors... he's looking into Phantom, a 'rare case' as he calls it." Both looked confused as Shadow loomed over Johnny.  
"So..." Kitty spoke before turning back to Ember. "I've been looking for you all this time and you have been in deep cover with this guy to get at Phantom, are you...?" To answer Kitty, Ember closed her eyes before a familiar loop appeared around and she turned back into the Ember they all know, causing them to quickly draw back in shock once more as Kitty exclaimed. "But... how did this..."  
"He somehow turned me into a halfa, but with that, I feel stronger, more stable, and so much more different then before, the strands are changed as well." Ember pulled toward the now-red hair and the pair looked at each other before Kitty spoke up after the moment of shock passed.  
"Can you give us a moment, Ember, I think me and Johnny need to talk about this for a moment." She nodded, showing more restraint than what was formerly known and Kitty grabbed Johnny, getting off his bike with Shadow behind him, as they walked a short distance before Kitty started. "I think we should help her out."

"Kitty!" Johnny nearly shouted, but cupped his mouth and tried again with a lighter voice. "I don't know, babe, I know that this is Ember we're talking about, but I don't exactly want to entrust some guy to... you know, I admit I am a flirt, but I care too deeply for you to let you..." Kitty kissed him on the lips and rested his forehead on hers as she spoke.  
"It's fine, he won't and, besides, we are a team together, we can do this together, Shadow is also a part of this, so let's just trust Ember's source and see where we can go from there." Johnny remained stunned until Shadow snapped and Johnny shook his head from the shock and nodded as Kitty returned to the road. "It's a start, Ember, but could we meet your contact?"  
"Actually, sure you can, in fact, here he is now..." From the air beside Ember, Abram appeared like a cloak and pulled out a file from nowhere as he spoke with precise skill.  
"Katerina O. Felix and Johnny T. Friday." Both drew back once more from the appearance, but also the use of full, human names. "You can be surprised all you wish, but I am Miss McLain's contact, and no, I am not a ghost, I just had ample time to study." The file closed as he looked up with his goggles. "I will have you all free to do as you wish, but you must understand that what I require for now is Phantom, you all are free to do what you wish as long as you keep your cover... or you do what you wish within risk, it is up to you both." After the pause, both nodded with Shadow giving a thumbs up and a smile before Abram smiled back. "Well then, follow me to my lab." The four headed to the great tree and soon entered the secret domain.

* * *

Kitty looked uneasy as she was strapped into place. "Uh... are you sure this is going to be safe?"  
"Certainly." Abram said as he tampered with the controls and devices on the console and other terminals as the table leaned back. "It is simple electro application to convert a small portion of your genetic template into a human genome, it should not be too painful, but without pain, there is no gain for any of us, if it makes you feel better, don't clench your teeth, it makes the process a lot worse."  
"Are you sure this quack is actually your guy, Ember?" Johnny asked with a raised brow, but before the rock star could say anything, Abram spoke instead.  
"You are aware that I can still hear you in my own rant about the finer points of this operation and I am within judgement to subject you to worse, but I will not so do keep your comments to a minimal, Johnny." The biker closed his mouth as Kitty and Ember allowed a chuckle escape their lips before Abram finished. "Are you ready, Katerina?"  
"Yeah... yeah, I can do this." He nodded as he started to process, electro-rods lowering down before coming inches from Kitty and activating. the Surge of power blasting through her body as her lungs forced out a short screech, but Johnny stopped himself as he watched, the skin of his girlfriend changed from its ghostly hue as it started to become the same color as Ember's, but the change continued upwards before he spotted the differences, not a strand of hair, but a series of leather armbands that formed on the right arm, removable, but the biggest one was a tattoo on her midriff spelling 'Johnny', his face lighting up as the change finished and her hair was changed to a brown and she caught her breath before looking to the side with glowing emerald eyes. "Am I...?"

"Beautiful, babe..." Johnny mumbled aloud before Ember slammed an elbow into his gut, Shadow chuckling as Abram spoke.  
"Miss Amber, please help Miss Felix off the table."  
"Sure thing, man." The attire didn't change in any sort of way which should be strange, but no one said a thing as Kitty was taken to behind the console before Johnny was guided to the table and strapped in as Ember spoke. "You know, I can take you out for shopping if you need some new threads."  
"Sorry, Ember, but until Johnny is done, I am not leaving yet." They nodded to each other with Abram finishing as he spoke.  
"Now then, Johnny, Shadow, brace yourselves for the operation, this may hurt a lot more than what you both have faced."

"I am born ready, let's do this!" Shadow returned as part of Johnny before the volts came, Johnny holding tight as change began, but Ember quickly asked as something was happening too.  
"Abram, what's happening!?"  
"Bone marrow and density is increasing, various sections of muscle mass is also increasing across the body, he is undergoing more than a transformation, his whole body is undergoing a change." It was true as Johnny's body started to bulge out from his arms, legs, and body, so much that his attire was starting to strain under the strength and power of the new form as the straps strained to keep him in place, his hair slightly extended out, giving him a tougher look before the process ended, he relaxing as the trio rushed over, releasing him as Abram started. "Sir Friday, how are you feeling?"  
"Taller..." Johnny huffed with a masculine tone which swayed Kitty, but Abram cut the chat short before any could try.  
"Before you both engage in your love affair, I need to run a basic test, to see if the process was completed properly." Ember nodded to the thought as she stepped back as Abram pulled out the orb and activated it, it hovering as both of them looked at it before BOTH exhaled a few visible volts, something that surprised all before Ember started.

"Well, that's new... I thought you said that you both had a dark core, Kitty."  
"I did, Ember." Kitty said as Johnny waved a hand over his mouth and the volts came again. "I know for a fact that Johnny has a dark core, but I thought I was the same since we... care so much for each other." Abram rubbed his jaw before he spoke.  
"Well, I can look into the results, but first..." Abram reached into his coat and pulled out three credit cards. "I am entrusting you three to cover up, you can't rely on your usual attire and look to keep a low cover, each of these contains a thousand dollars, don't ask, I deal in stocks." None questioned it as he handed the cards to them. "We will scatter, this will be your lodgings until I can either secure better ones or one of you finds a good place to call home."  
"So, you were not kidding with the whole 'freedom' thing, you actually want us to wander about Amity... no restraints at all?" Ember inquired and Abram nodded as he continued.  
"It is better that you are free to do what you wish, I am merely the man who experimented with ectoplasmic powers and abilities, it is better that you have your opinions and thoughts on the matter, going about in cover and avoiding a 'quack' like me." Johnny rubbed the back of his head in apology, but Abram shook his head. "Go, I will not stop you unless you have need of my service once again, just don't let a soul know." The trio nodded as Abram lead them out and into the daylight once more, Johnny's bike having disappeared, but he was not too grieved as he explained that with the new look, it was possible he needed a new bike as well and genuinely wanted to help Kitty with shopping, something the former full-ghost was gleeful for with Ember joining in, heading into to3n as Abram pulled out another file and started to read through it, the hatch closing as he started to analyze the results. "Hmmm... Such a abnormal reaction, could the tampered process have also changed Sir Friday on his newfound human to match this society of individuals...?" He rubbed his jaw under the cloak. "If so, his shadowy companion would have undergone the same effect, but these results are different... but why...?" He hummed in thought as he headed down to the lab... there must be a few more tests to see what the true cause is...

* * *

Danny was lucky that he had escaped his folks for the time being, they were working on a new device called the Phanto-Sensor, a portable radar system that would enable them to track ghosts down easily and what their current status was, he even more grateful that it spotted him, but was REALLY confused that it imploded in Jack's hands, both looked confused and disappointed that Danny couldn't help but arrange for a mall trip to ease his mind. Sam was stuck in her house on the grounds that she was needed for a party coming up and Tucker was looking into some new pieces of tech to update or replace some of the more older and worn things he's got, so it was only Danny Fenton to enter the mall and take a seat in the food court with all the bustle and hustle there. He rested his head a bit as he started to think about the recent ghosts and what they were up to.  
He had bested them or a majority of them as a few were unaccounted for as Ember just simply disappeared off the radar, something that was completely unlike her 'rocking out' behavior and the duo of Johnny and Kitty just vanished into Amity without even looking to pick a fight, that was three ghosts out and, while Johnny and him was not on the 'friend' level, he was still good enough to talk to Danny about something or someone. He raised up and looked at the ceiling in a ponder.  
"Why can't this be simple, beat them, take them, return them. It's like they are avoiding me for the time being." The young man sighed before looking about, spotting a number of people about when his breath sent out a chill, he glancing about to find the ghost, but no panic was going on, nothing as he looked some more, stopping quickly on a familiar face in the passing crowd, it was the Ember look-alike girl he met at the water park, dressed in a standard black t-shirt with the logo 'Rock Spirit' on it over a skull, shorts with a jacket tied around her waist, violet stockings, and black rocker boots, a guitar slung over her shoulder. One moment, she was there, but the next, she vanished and Danny quickly looked to see if she had moved through the crowd or headed into one of the store before a familiar voice whispered behind him.  
"Remember me?" In his quick spin about, Danny toppled off the bench and rubbed his head as the girl just smiled and offered a hand. "My bad, I thought you would take it a bit better."  
"Right..." Danny took the hand and was helped up, the grip real as both sat down on different sides of the table. "What are you doing here and what's with your..."

"Look?" He nodded as the girl chuckled. "Then I guess you already figured it out, though you were on to me from the get-go at the water park." Danny wanted to go ghost and kick Ember's butt, but he stopped himself and instead asked questions for answers that he needed very badly.  
"What happened, Ember, why are you... human and why are you approaching me here?" Ember hummed before she grinned a little, resting a leg on her seat in facing Danny.  
"Because, I am trying to get you in a corner and pick your brain over." She chuckled a little before she actually did answer. "I came out of the Ghost Zone on a mission, rebellion in the teen spirit, I guess. Word's been going around the Zone about someone on Earth who was experimenting with ghost abilities and powers, Walker has the whole place on high alert as everyone else was running around like headless chickens, but me..." She shrugged at the idea. "I wanted a piece of the guy, but he wasted me in seconds, like he destroyed my guitar in one punch and you know how hard it is for someone to touch my guitar."  
"Very hard..." Danny hummed as he was... he stopped, he was conversing with one of his ghostly enemies, both human, in a mall and there was nowhere he could change without her following him to know, but both seemed to know right off the bat who the other was. Ember just smirked as Danny facepalmed. "I just revealed who I am, didn't I?"  
"Chill, Stick, your secret is safe with me." Danny exhaled in relief as they continued to talk. "Now, this guy... I don't know what his plan is, but it involves you, that is for sure."

"He's not going to splice me into pieces, is he?" Ember looked away and Danny slightly raised his voice in concern. "Ember!"  
"What, I am just saying..." The rockstar sighed before she spoke. "He just was looking for a pure-blood halfa, someone who was affected greatly by ecto powers and all his connections were pointing to you as the most likely guy for the task, he didn't seem like the 'mad scientist' type to dice you up."  
"Oh, that is wonderful..." Danny rubbed his head as he paused, he was not in danger, as long as he didn't try anything, he was in the clear as he continued. "And what about Johnny and Kitty, are they...?"  
"Halfas." Danny raised both brows in a 'what' look as Ember explained. "The guy wanted some allies to capture you, I do want to do that because of all the crap you put me through, but he didn't rely on us to be just ghosts, he turned us into halfas through some crazy method, but it worked nonetheless as the three of us can change before human and ghost without a single problem, or at least in theory, I have done it and survived, so you know." Danny couldn't believe what he was hearing, some of his enemies were now halfas and living among the populace without a single problem, though he expected it that some of them may try something out of the blue. "Kitty currently has Johnny shopping with her which gave me some time to see to you and, wouldn't you know, you were looking rather bored out of your mind."  
"Oh, ha ha, very funny." Both allowed a bit of laughter to fill them before Danny spoke. "So do I have to worry about flying meat, boxes, or rockets any time soon?"

"Lunch Lady is serving her time in Walker's prison, free of course; Box Ghost is currently with her and helping with the supplies, really mellowed out some, that guy; and Shulker, well... he took a punch and his whole armor nearly shattered, the green blob himself was knocked out cold from what I heard."  
"Well, that answers that question, but any moves from your 'boss'?" Ember didn't react to the comment as she thought about it and returned volley.  
"He's currently checking out Johnny's results, because... well, you better see for yourself."  
"What, did Johnny get beefed up or something?"  
"Yeah, I guess 'beefed up' is the word for it." Danny quickly turned and found himself scared, Johnny was HUGE, he looked ripped with a muscle shirt, jeans, and boots, his exchange of jackets giving him a more imposing figure with the longer hair, but Kitty was a welcome sight as she dressed a bit more normal, still looking ready to ride a motorcycle, but looked more nicer than her ghost attire donned, longer shirt, a shorts under a short skirt, and a leather jacket without all the cuts and tears to it as they sat down at the same table. "Hey, guy, fancy seeing you here."

"Johnny..." Danny started speechless. "If Tucker ever finds you, he will drill you hard and maybe ask to do all your things, you are big, what happened to you!?"  
"The same thing that happened to me and Ember, Danny." Kitty waved a hand as she continued, clearly pleased about it. "But the guy said that he would be checking it over to see what had changed, but I found one." Ember chuckled at the tone before she asked with a smile.  
"And what is it, Kitty?"  
"There's now a tattoo, in bold letters, of my name on his back, there is a difference right there."  
"What, you are going to have to show me this before..." Danny stopped and shook his head, getting back to the question of the day. "Wait a minute, what are you three doing in the mall to start with?"

"Like I said, we came here to find you, but also find a place to set up shop... and see if we can get Johnny a new motorcycle since his old one... just disappeared on us." The trio nodded as Danny was still confused before he sighed.  
"Well, I can't help you there, but I can offer temp housing at my place, I can't offer any other place sadly, so that's all I got."  
"Don't tell me you just want us there to drill for more answers, are you?" Ember's question caught Danny off-guard, but she just shook her head. "Sorry, Stick, but we are on our own for the time being, still, it was a nice invite." She stood up and said farewell. "Catch you all later, I got somewhere I want to look at." With that, she left, but it didn't take long before Johnny spoke as well.  
"We better go too, Kitty, I would like to see what rides I can get so we can see what else we can find."  
"Sure thing, though I am surprised..." Both stood up and headed off. "I can't believe you weren't hitting on anyone at the stores, not even the cashier at that one place."

"Crazy, right..." Their voices faded as Danny was left alone once more in confusion before he opened his phone and left a voice message for his friends.  
"Sam, Tucker, I found our missing ghosts, but I need more, if you find them, try to get more info from them. You can't miss them, They look human, but Ember has a teal streak in her red hair, Kitty has some tattoo on her stomach, and Johnny... is the big guy next to Kitty, be careful." He ended it and sent before relaxing in the mall, he had some time to chill for a bit, he had time to think of a plan... in case this guy came for him...


	5. Chapter 5

Danny didn't take long to get back home and slip past his parents who were trying to figure out what happened to the Phanto-Sensor as he headed to his room and started up his computer, opening the ghost files and selected Kitty, Johnny, and Ember in the files, looking into them to figure out what even occurred.  
He didn't quite understand how it was possible for them to be turned into halfas, but they didn't seem to have been using any energy to be in human forms, it wasn't like overshadowing too, as Danny was able to tell right off the bat when Kitty does it when he got a handle on it. No, this was a different turn in events that he needed feedback, so he was going to regret it, but he had a pair of experts to turn to, dispute their own failings, they were very experienced hunters in the practice and most of their gear was capable of working very worthwhile as he shut off the computer and headed down, the Phanto-Sensor beeping here and there, but it was still dead as Jack tampered with it while Maddie read over the data feedback to see what went wrong. "Hey, is the Phanto-Sensor a permanent guest on the table or can it be moved for a bit?"  
"Just a moment, Danny boy, I just need to fix the ecto-plasmic reactor coil, it just jumped out without a single reason." Maddie shook her head as Jack just worked to get it back together, clearly it was going to take a while, but he was not there exactly for a meal, he wanted to talk. "So, what's on your mind, lad?"  
"Yes, why the ask, sweetie, do you have anything you want to talk about?"  
"Uh, yeah, something that was on my mind for a bit recently." Danny rolled the thoughts in his head before asking. "I know this sounds slightly crazy, but have either of you heard of 'halfas'." The work stopped short and both looked up before Jack laughed aloud.  
"Oh, Danny, you're so silly, halfas are myths, no such thing as a halfa." Danny's heart dropped before Maddie spoke, wearing a smile as she spoke.

"Now, Jack, it is a reasonable question, one I would also like to have answered to the best of our ability, you just keep working and make sure that the sensor fins are properly aligned the right way." Danny was lead out while Jack just murmured to himself on the device which involved some phrases of fudge or a bowl of it as the two sat down in the living room and the matronly member spoke again. "Now, Daniel, your father's words were not correct, but Halfas or, how I prefer to call them in my spare time, Demis are very rare, they are either ghosts that have acquired a unique human genome to stabilize their form between ghost and human or a human who undergone a lethal amount of some source of ectoplasmic energy, but they are impossible to discover as they can blend in with ease, both as a secret and to hide among others and keep a low profile." Maddie simply shook her head as she explained it. "However, I cannot acknowledge those same words and details as both ethics and beliefs places them in the ratio of impossible, one could try to clone a demi, but that would be impossible as mixing both ghost and human DNA is impossible without some form of ground to stabilize on." Danny nodded as he recalled the event with Dani, his clone that Vlad used to get him, she was fine at first, but started to dissolve within a short time, saved at the last moment by him and an ally. His mother continued. "Demis are averaged to be nearly as strong as full ghosts with the potential of becoming much more stronger, but like I said, they are impossible to even spot, let alone track, like a certain Phantom we have dealt with in the past." Danny nodded at his ghost persona, it was no secret that Danny Phantom was quite the cause of trouble for both the Fentons and the townsfolk at times, but his own self and trust often lead him to defend Amity, despite the threat of 'vaporization' by blasters and cannons. She then dropped a big bomb on him as she continued, reaching to a sachet that was set before them, why didn't he notice it as she spoke. "In truth, I wanted to get Phantom for a while now, but... in my own zealous nature, I realized something about the Fenton Portal, the switch is located in the system itself."  
Danny didn't need to speak as his mom was spot on about what the flaw was, they didn't engineer the Ghost Portal to active outside the machine, it was installed inside and, in his own curiosity, he activated it and turned himself into the hero or anti-hero that everyone knew. "So, uh..." Maddie didn't glare or glance with anger at the fact that her son was Phantom, but a sense of remorse, of sorrow as she put the papers down and drew Danny into a hug.  
"Oh, Danny, I understand your secret, I just wish you could have told me yourself than me finding out through a system flaw... and some hints dropped here and there."  
"It was... tough to say, I mean..." He slightly pushed his mom back and continued. "How would you react to the fact that Danny Phantom or 'Ghost Kid' was actually Danny Fenton, your son, I think that's why I kept my secret with my friends and Jazz, since she actually figured it out a lot faster than I had guessed, I was afraid." Maddie nodded as Danny continued. "About the question itself, something crazy is happening, I just recently ran into Ember, Kitty, and Johnny 13." Maddie thought before she spoke.  
"I know about Ember and Kitty, though I called them Flare and Rogue, I don't remember Johnny too much."

"Johnny was the pale biker, the guy hitting on Jazz?" Maddie nodded on the individual. "Kitty and Johnny are troublemakers, not truly dangerous, but Ember did try a crazy 'control the world through music' thing, so she is possibly..." He shook his head and held out his hands as he explained. "But the real reason is that I found them in the mall, they were in human forms and told me that they were halfas or Demis now, someone had done something and created them those forms."  
"Do you think that it is truly a threat, Daniel?"  
"I don't know, I met Ember at the water park and she didn't do anything hostile, so I am actually trying to figure it out, who is their 'client' and why am I hearing about him now?" Maddie nodded as she returned.  
"Well, I wish you the best and I won't tell this to Jack, he is going to be dense about it, so it is best that we keep it among us for the time being, also, if you somehow capture one of them if they act up, bring them to... Jazz." Danny raised a brow and Maddie shrugged. "Was going to say me, but I am more about to splice and examining the remains of a ghosts, not getting any information from them." Danny nodded as he stood and, kissed Maddie on the head, and headed upstairs to his room, starting the computer again to figure it out.

* * *

Sam was on her way to search out any trace of this 'figure' that had appeared in the Zoo, the connection to both them and the pair in the water park had a strange connection, one that she wanted to find out as she handled a Fenton pistol for self-defense. She reported to the Zoo to see what even happened there as initial checks had nothing, unwise to check on her own, but she had to do it for easier chance to find something. She soon arrived to the site and looked about in confuse behavior, no real damage that could be told except the number of impacts of rockets that must have been from Shulker, but something else was not in place as the animals seemed... agitated. She continued the look about before she heard... the whispers, her heart stopping as a menacing tone called out to her. "Daughter of the Plants, yield to your birthright and purge the violators from the land, the tree and grass, the vine and branch are your true friends and allies." Same quickly looked about in panic as the voice of Undergrowth was coming from everywhere, but she just wished it was just one place and not in her head. "You are impure and must breathe in the power once more, your power as my avatar will destroy them all, now yield to me..."  
"N-N-No...!" She continued in fear as it bubbled up and felt Undergrowth's influence somehow touching her and she wanted to be left alone before a strum filled her ear and flames encircled her as the power fled from it as a voice spoke up.  
"She is not your tool anymore, Plants, get out of her mind before I take a personal hand into it and burn that weed of your existence." Sam whipped around to the girl that she spotted at the water park before white rings encircled her and her whole appearance changed, blazing blue hair and a mix of black and white gear on her as a guitar, modified greatly into a dangerous mix of powers, stepped forward with a small smirk before Undergrowth roared as he surged in front of the pair.  
"Ember, you dare to fight my power, I am stronger than you!"  
"Not this time, Plants..." Ember frowned as her finger strummed their tone and the flames surged toward before they started to form a large bruiser of burning glory as she was lifted up and stood on the being's shoulder as she continued as Sam gasped to the bruiser's grip on her as well. "She is under my protection and under my boss's interests, so beat it, you shrubbery!" Undergrowth roared and surged, but Ember proved to be the stronger all the sudden as one punch of her construct sent the towering monster scrambling back as the fires scorched the foliage and Undergrowth sneered as he roared, but no matter what he tried, Ember was the better as she spared no mercy for the specter, giving him a hard time before a vine whipped lashed the arm that was holding Sam, but before Undergrowth could grab her, something else zapped past and Sam opened her eyes to find herself flying as another voice spoke.

"Hey, Sammy!" Manson looked to her rescuer to find Kitty with a smile. "Don't think that getting some alone time with Growth is going to do anything for those brooding eyes."  
"What is even going on right now!?"  
"You'd be surprised, all I know is that the boss wanted to see you for a bit." Sam grimaced to the sound as she watched the battle continued, Ember not even tiring out as she was expected to as she beat back Growth, despite the amount of greenery and plants close by as he quickly fled for the time being, though it was expected that he was soon captured as Sam was placed back on the ground as Kitty and Ember bumped fists with smiles as Kitty explained with crossed arms, the smile not leaving. "Now, I know this is going to sound crazy, but we are..."  
"Demis…" Both looked at each other before Sam continued with surprise. "Isn't that what human-ghost hybrids are actually called?"  
Ember hummed with a smirk. "That actually sounds a lot more tougher than Halfas, but that can be discussed later." Ember cleared her throat as she spoke. "Our current boss wanted to talk to you for a bit about Phantom." Sam drew back in concern, what did this new figure want from Danny as the rev of an engine roared through the air and soon, a motorcycle cut into the Zoo before skidding to a halt before the pair and Sam was astonished by the new Johnny 13 as he towered over the party as he grinned to Kitty and lifted her up, but the figure out of place was the one cloaked as they pulled themselves off the backseat and stood quiet as Ember spoke with the same smirk. "This is Doc, our boss." Before Sam could say something, the figure flicked out a wrist and, with the motion, sheets of papers appeared in its hand before it spoke.

"Samantha Manson..." Doc hummed as he spoke. "Your history is quite interesting, ranging from being controlled by a spirit of nature, being the bride of a dragon prince, and involving yourself with the lower-class folk, but more importantly..." The file closed as it disappeared like it was never there. "You are aware of WHO Phantom actually is." This caught all by surprise, but Doc didn't yield as he flew over within seconds, staring into her soul with blue goggles. "Now, will we do this my way or your way...?" Sam staggered back before she steadied herself and frowned her brow as she growled back.  
"You are not getting anything out of me."  
"...Is that a challenge, Manson?" Sam didn't know why she was fighting this figure, but clearly, she was going over the line as this being had Ember, Kitty, and Johnny's attention.  
"I am ready to best you the way I do, you are not going to bring me down so easily." Her hand slowly reached for the pistol and Doc could tell, but quickly jumped back as Danny Phantom arrived and got into stance as he spoke.  
"Are you okay!?" Sam wanted to yell in thanks, but decided to just acknowledge the save as she pulled out the pistol.

"I'm okay!" Danny turned back to the figure as a grin graced his face.  
"Phantom, such a hard target to locate, but finally reward and luck favors my interests."  
"You are not getting what you are after!" The smile disappeared as the voice spoke again, this time to the ghosts.  
"Fight to your heart's contents, I just need a breathing body, the goth one is also up to your own desires." Ember smiled as Kitty and Johnny nodded in solemn tone.  
"Now, the party's just getting started!" Doc disappeared as Ember rushed for Danny and bashed him upward before flying for him, his block not enough as the Rockstar took chase as Same was let to the pair as Johnny spoke with his hands cracking.

"You want the first round?"  
"Oh, you know it, babe." Kitty chuckled as she raised a hand and Sam backed as electricity started to spark in her hand. "Now, Sammy and I have some girl time to catch up with." Sam swallowed as she dodged the first blast and grimaced the damage as she wished Danny luck as the pistol finished its warmup and she took to fighting at a distance...

* * *

Danny shrugged off the blow, but it was hard as Ember came and swung, Danny catching it in time as he held the grip tight before blasting it back with ectoblasts, it not shutting her down as she sling the weapon around in the cartwheel and created fire into her palms before blasting them toward Danny, he countering as ice battled flame with vapors bellowing out in the clash, Danny feeling his strength fading as Ember attempted to overpower him, but he was saved as a blast slammed into Ember and a familiar ghost hunter appeared with cannon on her shoulder.  
"Having trouble with your girlfriend, Phantom?"  
"Not exactly, Gray..." Danny pulled himself together as he spoke. "Ember is using a new power, I have never faced something... like me or like Vlad."  
"You mean that she's..." Gray's eyes were wide as Danny continued.  
"It feels like she is a halfa and her powers have doubled to higher limits." Ember flew back up and waved a hand in please and taunt. "We have to work together if we are to beat her."

"You do it your way and I'll do it my way." Before Danny could say anything, Valerie whizzed through, dodging the blasts as they came, but she was unprepared as Ember whipped out the guitar and blasted a series of fists toward her, the close proximity nearly ending Val as she was knocked off, her board saving her as she rode back up, Ember not distracted as she blocked Danny's flurry of punches and kicks with a deflect of her guitar, slamming him into a building as she started with a good-natured smile.  
"You don't have to make this tough, Danny, you play our books and you will be fine, besides if Gray wants to fight with Technus's gear, then I am more than willing to knock her a few knots."  
"Sorry... if I don't sound... pleased with that, he doesn't threaten... Sam..." With that he blasted, Ember back as he continued the banter. "And I don't know what he is up to, so I am going to have to shut him down fast."  
"Sad... but you have your choices, I have my own." Ember started to strum once more before Val called.  
"Hey!" Both looked and grimaced as the whole person became a gun platform. "Rock on this!" A massive blast collided into Ember and she was sent crashing into the ground as Val huffed as the suit disappeared and she started to fall, Danny catching her in time as she panted, clearly feeling the pain from the recoil and the beating. "How... was that, Phantom?"

"You will be okay... right?"  
"Yeah, just pulled too much somehow." She choked a bit as she pulled herself up and hissed as the right arm felt a bit pulled. "My arm is going to be okay, I think I just knocked it out a bit, it should be fine with some rest and cast."  
"Okay, get home and I will deal with Ember." Val nodded as she took off, Danny flying over to see that she was out cold, white rings circling her to prove that she was not lying, his arms carefully lifting her up before he headed for Sam, hoping that she was still okay...

* * *

She was lucky as she handplanted and flipped back, glad for both the exercise and training that she took, just in cause of ghost attacks, but she was in bad as the pistol laid sparking and her left shoulder caught a brief touch of Kitty's newfound power. "Come on, we don't have to do this anymore, just tell the boss what you know and we will be fine."  
"Not yet... Kitty, I am not giving up... that easily."  
"Oh well, I tried..." She generated a large orb, but a yell caught both of the ghosts' attention.  
"Hey!" Danny came in, multiplying himself before the doubles started to fight both Johnny and Kitty in a stalling while the real one picked up Sam and ferried both of them to Fenton Works, depowering as they stood before the house and Sam, getting off, knocked on the door and it opened to Maddie, wide-eyed as she motioned them in before closing the door softly and they sneaking past as she started in the lab.  
"What happened, why is Sam hurt?"

"My fault, Ms. Fenton..." Sam started as Maddie took the time to bandage the injury up while Danny put Ember in a side room that Maddie had made for the occasion that her son was caught, now glad to still have a use for it at least. "I went looking for something that was out of place and I got caught up with some..." Maddie nodded as she finished and the trio looked to Ember before Danny spoke with crossed arms.  
"It doesn't make sense, why is she able to do it and who the heck was the cloaked figure?" Sam spoke next as she stated her opinion.  
"From the sound of it, that guy was their new boss, but he didn't seem too... controlling about it, he even just let them do what they want, though if it wasn't for them, I am sure that Undergrowth would have tempted me over again."  
"Regardless of that..." Maddie said as she rested a hand on both teens' shoulders. "I can start running DNA tests to see what is currently going on while Jazz can be brought down here to see talking to Ember, is that okay?" Both nodded and Sam headed for the kitchen before Maddie asked. "Sam doesn't know that I know, does she?" Danny rubbed the back of his neck before he replied.  
"I was in a rush, I battled with Ember and I had so much going on, that telling her about you finding out slipped my mind, sorry." Maddie nodded with a smile as Danny turned back to Ember. "Still, I don't want to think of what Dad will do if he sees her in here."

"I did deactivate the system so that you can get in and out easily, we still haven't booted it back up." Maddie lightly smiled with a mischief spark in her eye. "And Jack doesn't need to know the full story, just that we have some interesting tests to run on blood samples." She then pulled out a needle and Danny drew back as she explained. "It's okay, I don't mean to bring this up, but if I had some of your genetic code, I could easily tell which one of the fighting ghosts is you and develop methods to help you out further in the field, sure does sound like I am using your condition as a test subject, but you are my son, I want to keep you safe as long as I can." Danny paused before he sighed, a light grin spreading across his face.  
"Sure, let's try." She nodded as he took a seat in a reserved chair and breathed as Maddie carefully extracted some blood from Danny and offered some juice, he accepting it as she finished and nodded before bandaging it up as well with a sigh of relief. "Thanks, I know that this is still a lot to take in..."  
"Yes, well..." Maddie smirked as she replied. "Where's the challenge if it wasn't fun to start with, now get moving and I will help out as best as I can." Danny nodded as Maddie waited in the lab before her smile dropped a bit before she started to run the tests, it was not going to be easy, but she would be struck down by lightning if she would let her baby get hurt and she having no way to help him to the best of her abilities and the next one would be Ember, the red goggles turning to the rock star with a nod as she finished and walked over. "Okay, Ember, time to see what you have got pumping in your veins..."


	6. Chapter 6

Abram breathed, not from rage or hate as those were emotions ill fit for the time, but with amuse and contemplation as Kitty and Johnny stood before him like he was the master and the biker spoke with a rub of the head. "Sorry, Boss, he escaped and we didn't get any info on the guy..."  
"Worst yet, Ember is missing, we need to find her." Kitty's devotion to her friend was true and Johnny was keeping quiet about the true identity from the short moment of pause, but Abram was not angry, he was pondering and smiled as he turned.  
"Then we have time to do something else." He motioned the pair over before he started to speak again, bringing up a virtual display of blueprints. "Phantom is not a monster and I wish to see who else is available in this endeavor, but first, we must start the construction of a Ghost Portal, to filter out the minor spirits and souls and see who can we gain from this, Ember knew the risk and it is likely that we will find her in a place sealed off from us on purpose, but if Phantom has something or someone who can act as a 'border guard', then we can find Ember and learn what we can discover as well." Both looked at it in amaze as Abram turned and let the display go on. "Also, your secrets are perfectly safe and neither of you needs to tell me anything, but we have to keep a tight lid on who we can trust and who we have to... detain from our interests." Both nodded and Abram knew that they would play his game, if they didn't first realize that they were free to pursue other lifestyles within reason, he let it slide as he continued. "Some of these components are difficult to get a hold on, so I am entrusting you two to search this whole town, cause some mayhem or something, just find the parts and I will work on the portal itself, are we clear?"  
"Uh... sure..." Johnny started as he breathed. "I mean, are you sure you want US roaming the town for your parts, that is going to raise some red flags around here, you know, the anti-ghost society." Abram nodded as he spoke once again.  
"I know, but you three came to me and I can do very little to help you out further than that, being a scientist is clear, but I cannot force you to do something that I would never do myself, but without the proper measures to accomplish this, I will need aid, now get moving and whatever you do..." Abram motioned a finger to both of them in a pointed reason. "...Keep your names and your powers under wrap, cause a scene and the 'anti-ghost society' will be onto you within seconds so keep it to a minimum unless it is required." Both somehow saluted as Abram nodded and Kitty headed up before Johnny, lowering his salute, spoke up and asked.

"So, I realize I have a lot of power, but where was Shadow, I didn't see him helping out or anywhere for that matter."  
"He is something else now." Johnny raised a brow as Abram explained. "Shadow's close proximity seemed to have removed him from your body, but that is actually a lie, he is actively influencing your body on a genetic level, the two of you can team up to increase the muscle mass even further at the expanse of mind, you would get stronger, but lose your senses and become a raging behemoth as this is not a complete union." Johnny folded his arms as Abram finished. "You have to find him in your body before anything, your powers are intact, but he is the other half of them, it would be wise that you somewhat refrain from using them quite yet." After a moment, Johnny nodded with a solemn look before he headed out and Abram turned back as he looked at the display and sighed with a smile. "Well, better start now than let my worries and concerns fill my mind." He removed the cloak and cracked his hands before wrapping them up and beginning the start of a portal, one that would cause unintended effects to the operation that he had planned...

* * *

Danny fought through the horde of ghosts that had surged out of the Fenton Portal, his dad trying to figure out the Sensor's critical error, but his tampering was also affecting the Portal somehow as Danny found himself fighting off spectral sea life and formless ghosts as he was knocked back and he got back up to fight as his folks and his friends tried to stem the tides of vengeful ghosts themselves, their aid a lot better than what Vlad had thrown together, but he couldn't place his anger to his foe and his dad's best friend or once-best friend as it sounded like there was a bit of fallout between them and his dad is finally seeing it that Vlad was being spiteful and also that he was getting... weird vibes off him, like something had happened beforehand and even Vlad seemed off about it as he didn't make his usual call or request. He wondered if it was like a perceived foresight or something that Clockwork might have let slip for a bit, but he disregarded it as he batted back more of the foes and tried to keep the damages to a minimum, but they were all over as people rushed about in panic and he suffered another slam down and made to get up again before he grimaced as his foot felt out of place like it was snapped or something, but he couldn't give in as he pulled himself up and was visibly surprised that he felt electricity flowing into his body and mending him as he turned his head and found the unlikely pairing helping him out. "Kitty, Johnny... what are you two doing out here?"  
"Helping you out, clearly, and you are going to need it, you look terrible." Kitty frowned as Danny mentally looked over himself to see that parts of his body were beat up and wrecked, but only the foot was the real injury that would have slowed him down as Johnny helped pull him up as Kitty then smiled. "And since Gray's out, due to something else going on, we may need to step in... just for the fun of it." Kitty smiled as Johnny nodded before both donned serious looks and changed before him, Johnny resting a fist on the ground as his left eye somehow shifted to a familiar hue of green while Kitty's hand surged with electricity, Danny breathed as he pulled himself up to stop the two, but they jumped into the fray, busting foes back and wrecking them, but leaving them vulnerable enough that Danny was quick in catching on, flying up and using the Fenton Thermos to absorb the Ghosts in, the sudden turn from hopeless to victory was a change that no one was really ready for as Johnny and Kitty gave a thumbs up and sped off on a spectral chopper, both donning helmets before it soared like a bat out of hell itself, Danny confused about it as it seemed too easy and they just gave their trust easily, his senses not wrong before, but his mind told him to keep his guard as he zoomed off, his folks chasing him to keep up the illusion, if for the time being...

* * *

Abram spun around an idle screwdriver between his fingers as he worked with ease, the parts and pieces that Johnny and Kitty brought back after a short bout of keeping the ghost populace down a bit keeping in handy as he worked around the clock and made modifications of his own designs. First was the input of a containment unit that will scan any passing ghosts and sort them into dangerous and harmless, the method to keep them trapped in the unit imperfect for the time being, but it will work and not be affected by the portal itself. The second was the position of the activation switch, moved to the exterior of the device itself so there was little risk of being injected with ectoplasm into his bloodstream or anyone's at all as the panel hummed in front of his face. The final piece added for the time being was a projector, meant to display a full map of the Ghost Zone to him and others for bearings from their portal site, the task daunting in the most extreme term, but it would work to go from his and discover another portals, natural and man-made, and strike from those to cause some discord among the members, as long as it was within their realm and not across time itself.  
He nodded as he activated the system and the hum of the base's interior generator hummed with a heated tone, power levels would be well into the critical, as it activated and swirled before his eyes, his slight smile fading as he jumped back as large claws lunged out and across the ground as a head pulled itself free and a dragon glared right at him with glowing red eyes. "Oh, this is interesting..." Abram folded his arms behind him as the dragon lowered and glared into the man's hidden eyes and soul. "To what do I own the pleasure to for such a radiant creature of the Ghost Zone to surge out of my portal and into my base?" Both stared off before the dragon huffed, flames jolting out of the nostrils before more of the body was pulled free, but with that was the change from creature to woman, a crown settling on her head as she looked forward and at Abram, her attire that of ancient Europe.  
"I would request the presence of the figure who would dare open a portal in my domain, hidden away from the land and threatening the safety of my people."  
"Is that a challenge, your Highness?" Abram glanced over the woman with interest before he flicked a wrist and nothing came forward, telling him that this one had no human history and he simply smiled a little. "Well, tell me how far from your lands is my portal and I will make active modifications to move it outside your domain and you will not be bothered further than that, Princess...?" The woman didn't wear the anger for long as she huffed and hid her hands in the sleeves of his dress, a ruby amulet hanging around her neck as she spoke.  
"I am Queen Dorathea of the Realm of Knights and I have come to ensure that this is not a trap." The goggles started to pop up with names and details of the Queen's title and name, Abram sparing a glance to the side that it was clear that the device itself needed time to process the being in question and someone with great power as well, but she was not valid for the operation, he would not do that to her unless it is wished for.

"My name is Abram, Your Highness, and I apologize for the sudden appearance of my portal, I best be on work to remedy this new development." Dorathea didn't say too much as Abram worked on the machine and programed it to a better position a short distance outside the realm's reach, serving as neutral ground in the realm of spirits and ghosts. "I would suggest that you head back to your home, Queen Dorathea, I cannot guarantee a full location placement for the time being."  
"Indeed, I thank you and your service, I will be on my way." She turned back to the portal headed on before stopping short and looked at Abram. "Whoever you are working for or your own agenda, I will expect to see you about the Zone, it would give all a proper level of fear there instead of the rumors through the vines of gossip."  
"As much as that would entertain..." Abram shook his head and pointed. "I am needed here, not in there, so please understand that I cannot sate the fears of the beings beyond my view." She nodded and walked through before she vanished in and the young man worked to move the portal a bit, actually surprised to be able to move the portal via the Ghost Zone which he hid under the neutral look of a scientist looking at something rather normal and likely to change as much as a human being could do. He located it to a proper spot and geared it up properly before he breathed, walking over to a rack that he had set up, taking a helmet off and looking at it before he slowly breathed, resting it to the table and taking the rest of the gear in hand, spec up for wandering the Ghost Zone and for additional protection as the suit came up, zipped up, and its accessories added as well in the form of boots, safety belt, and shoulder pauldrons before the helmet was grabbed once more and he put it on his head, the visor extending out as he turned back to the Portal, staring at it with... fear, that he admit to, as he breathed once more and walked through, the rift that filled his vision scaring him deeply, but he didn't come this far to give in now as he continued through the green essence that surged through and past him before he stepped out onto a craggy outcropping, rocks and stones floating in the rift that was known as the Ghost Zone as he stood on a semi-flat plateau. 'Would suck if it is a sprawling trail of rock so this is better...' He gripped his hands together as he felt his whole body shake from the tension around him and in the Zone itself, those strong blue underneath now filled with panic and terror as his breathing was swift and quick before he decided. 'One step at a time, I don't plan on exploring this place in the first place, just to get a look and see if there are other portals to the real world.' He had long heard of portals frequent the Ghost Zone, but they never are a constant as some leave to the past or even the future, the artificial portals created and stabilized being the only source of transport that is safe and easy to use as he turned back around and headed back through, reentering the lab and pulling off the helmet before he looked and shut the portal down, accessing its power reserves to see where he could work with.  
He bit his lip as it looked like the reactor and generator were on the breaking point and he didn't have the space for something to mend it, leaving the only option being to find a new place to be at and set up shop in, luck going to him as the pair returned. "Hey, Doc, how did the portal experiment go?"  
"G-Good." Abram paused before he cleared his throat, his nerves on the edge as he spoke again, turning to the pair. "It went rather well for a first test, however, the power reserves for the whole operation is well beyond the current reserves, we have to locate this operation to a better location and rig it up with more sources of generation and a new reactor or two." Johnny nodded, but Kitty looked concerned as she walked over and Abram didn't feel the need to push it off as she asked.

"Are you okay?" To this, Abram slowly slid against his table and pulled himself in as both watched in shock before he spoke.  
"I couldn't do it... I couldn't step one single step into the Ghost Zone before my whole soul just started to freeze up." Johnny and Kiity looked at each other as Abram continued, the fear coming back to his eyes like a plague. "I thought that I could manage it, but all I could do is just stand and stare before going back... I just couldn't get it straight, I'm afraid... afraid of something else that filled my soul." The air started to ease as Abram breathed, counting with his fingers before hitting ten and gripping his hands to the surprise of both as he stood back up and relaxed. "However, this should be dealt with later, not when we are standing on the edge." Kitty spared a glance to her boyfriend and he shrugged, meaning both of them didn't know how to deal with something like this, but they dismissed it for now as Kitty reached into her bag and pulled out several sheets of paper.  
"Johnny and me went looking for a place that we can call ours, but this should be a good find for you too, Doc." Abram nodded as he looked over the photos and pics that were taken before he noticed a large one, a small town block that was sealed off on the outskirts of Amity itself, surprising as there should be active operation to bring it back into the town itself as he inquired.  
"What is this one about, Miss Felix?"  
"This is the district of Manculter, it is often forgotten for the more upstanding locations, but for this, the power grid was severed and all of the places there were emptied out and no one is likely to hit us if we were to set up shop there." Abram hummed before a smile graced his face and he spoke, clearly seeing something else from the fear.

"Do you two know where Ember is likely to be?" Both looked at each other once again before giving a thumbs up and grinned as Johnny spoke.  
"We have a place, you saying that we get to cause some mayhem there?"  
"Yes, but follow the plan." Both nodded as Abram spoke. "Bring down the power grid for the block if you can, cause some trouble through that, see to Ember and talk to her about the idea, if she wants to, break her out, we are not making a bold statement, not now, understood?" Both nodded as Abram waved. "Get going, I will start moving things to a new location." The two flew on out as Abram started to work, charting out his position before selecting a good one, an old college site that will serve his needs and the needs of other who follow him for the time being...

* * *

Ember grimaced as she found herself stuck in some place that resisted her ghost powers, but it didn't stop her from playing with her guitar, playing a bit to ease her mind before she started to play a good one, bobbing her head with a smile before she stopped to the sound of clapping. "Nice bass line, I thought that your guitar couldn't do that to be honest." Ember looked up to a orange-haired girl making her way down the stairs, looking her over before she recognized the figure as the other girl that ruined her, Kitty, and Spectra's plans for a female-only Amity, but she didn't recognize her as someone who would hurt her, more like a shrink or a psychiatrist from the number of books and letters that she carried as Ember shrugged to the approaching girl with a small chuckle, a bit more human than before which was actually cool.  
"Believe it, this thing can be anything that I want it to be and tone to what I want, but I like using a guitar more than most." The guitar disappeared as Ember remained cross-legged as she asked with the girl sitting down. "So, what's the verdict, Prof?"  
"Nothing, Mom just sent me down here to see what you know and..." A slip of paper pulled Ember's attention as the girl wore a sorrowful look. "You know, Danny let me have the details on your life and what he found out, with the help of his friends, but I just... feel sorry for you, all the ghosts that fought him. You had lives before you were ghosts."  
"Eh, it comes and goes..." Ember mused, but it did strike a chord with her. "It hurts, though, I waited and now that I see clearly, I was the fool for falling for a player, my mind didn't even know about the kitchen catching fire and dying in that blaze." She just shrugged as she continued. "So, what exactly are you doing down here, Prof?"

"Oh, right..." The girl sorted through her papers and Ember was actually surprised by the number of pages and papers that she brought before pulling out a small folder, not enough to even change the size of the bundle. "Danny saw that you were able to change between Human and 'Demi', I am just curious as to who, you don't have a history of playing 'duets' with anyone for this to be a thing." Ember chuckled before she spoke up again and stood up, walking over and laying her hand on the glass, the current flowing, but nothing hurtful for the moment.  
"Funny that you mention it..." Ember leaned again the glass with crossed arms as she continued. "The Ghost Zone, in all of its craziness, got freaked out bad when rumors of someone experimenting with ecto-abilities started to reach our ears, now most of the realm went into lockdown with Walk leading the charge, but I decided to see what was up." She looked up and breathed as the writing of paper was heard and Ember continued to fuel the interest of this person, not sure if she had the power to release the teen spirit of rebellion. "I found him and he wrecked me big time, but he spared me a trip to the ghost hospital and used me for the first test subject, I didn't ever ask how much human blood I got pumping in my veins, but I know this... this guy has got some serious skills and can back it up, big time." The lights flickered and both looked at it before Ember spoke up with a raised brow. "Is that normal for you guys?"  
"Something's wrong..." The ground rumbled and the girl, leaving her stuff behind, sprinted up the stairs in concern as Ember waited before a voice spoke.  
"Hey girlfriend, thought you might be here." From the flooring came both Johnny and Kitty as Kitty popped a hip and smiled. "You want a jailbreak?" Ember smiled, but shook her head as she explained.  
"Can't, the lock's encoded to the hunters and there's a barrier keeping me in, they must have a secondary generator going on, even then, I am locked in here unless you want to create a scene." The duo looked before nodding and Johnny walked over, placing his hand on the door and Ember could tell that Shadow surged out and went in, severing the connection and connections, but in a way that it meant a clean open, nothing destroyed as the door opened and Ember stepped out. "So, what's the Doc up to?"

"He has us moving to a new location, we are to meet him here." Ember took a look at the sheets of paper that Kitty brought and Ember nodded with a smile, the time for anarchy seemed a bit closer than she had guessed.


	7. Chapter 7

Danny didn't know what just happened, just that the whole power grid just went down that he found himself dashing for the lab once Jazz came out and was told what was happening, Maddie and Jack surprised as well as the young teen made it, but missed the troublemakers that freed Ember, Danny wanting to shout in anger from the chances of finding out what even happened when he stopped, looking at the door to see that the lock was carefully opened with ease, someone had unlocked it and, to the tone of the DNA scanner asking for print, the power surge must have knocked it out for the window and allowed the duo to get to the lab and free their ally. Maddie and Jazz headed down while Jack only did so to grab a Fenton Blaster and bolt upstairs to fight the 'spook'. Maddie rested a hand on Danny's shoulder as he sighed before he turned to Jazz. "You didn't do anything, did you, Jazz?" His older sister shook her head as she explained.  
"I did nothing, we were starting before the lights flickered and I had a feeling that something was wrong, I didn't open the door for Ember."  
"Which is strange..." Maddie spoke as she looked at the locking device and looked back with some concern and confusion. "This shows no signs of being forced open, whoever was involved with this was able to open it on a toothpick-size level and it had to be physical, any energy-based attempts would have cause the cell to reactivate.  
"It has to be Johnny, but how did he and Kitty get past us and what was the sound or feeling?" The trio looked among each other before Maddie pulled up the security system to see what had happened. It showed the events that even occurred and the pair phased through the floor, Johnny pointing a hand as a shadow surged out and into the lock, the barrier fading before Kitty pulled out some documents and Ember nodded with a smile, the audio missing as Maddie tried to get it together, but nothing as she turned to the outside perimeter to see what happened and what the trio saw didn't make much sense until Maddie scrolled in on a large metal scaffold and it looked like the bottom was rusted before ultimately snapping, bringing the whole thing down and shattering one of the telephone poles, severing the majority of power while the Fentons' secondary generator kicked and Danny frowned his brow before he spotted it, pointing it out as the video wind back. "There, close to the base, there's Shadow." Maddie zoomed in to see that Shadow was indeed there, but it breathed and forced its hands on the metal, it rusting out before it pulled back and the next minutes brought the scaffolding down. "It wasn't bad luck, Johnny must have learned how to degrade the material and bring it down to break the pole."  
"Yes, but this shows that they didn't go for it, even the Portal wasn't messed up." The trio looked to see the Portal shut down for now and she continued as she typed it in. "We can't see what the duo showed Ember, but we can determine it through some scans." Maddie locked it and started to scan the parchments, several papers worth before it started to fill in the blanks and they had an answer. "These are locations in... Manculter, that place is hardly an empty block, but not even the spirit specialists want to get there. But why there...?" Maddie sorted through the files a bit more with what she could find, but nothing else popped up as she frowned. "Whatever is happening there, I think we have to see it with our own eyes."

"No, that's too risky..." Danny answered as he continued. "I don't think it's wise, what if they laying in wait for us, I can't risk that."  
"I know, Danny." Jazz said as she stepped over, resting her hands on his shoulders. "But if this is an actual threat, if it is the same problem with Plasmius or Dark, we have to figure it out before it is too late." Danny paused with a glance to the side and Jazz breathed. "You know you don't have to stand alone, Danny, you have us now, the burden doesn't need to be so heavy."  
"I know... but I am afraid about this every time." Maddie donned a sorrowful look as Danny continued as Jazz listened. "What if I mess up, what if I fail and I can't save anyone from my mistakes or my problems." Danny himself breathed as the ring appeared around him. "You guys try to find out more, I need some air." With that, he changed to Danny Phantom and flew through the ceiling as Maddie looked at Jazz.  
"He doesn't make things easy for us, does he?"  
"Sometimes..." Jazz spoke as she crossed her arms. "I just think that he is ignorant to the fact that there are other ways of handling these matters, it's important to him and us that he knows that we have his back and can support him... even when he is stubborn to the notion." Maddie nodded as the two started to look through the records and databases for any new data on a ghost or a strange figure that could be the master..."

* * *

The campus was exposed heavily to the actions of Abram as he shifted through the overgrowth, setting up a number of generators in and on the premise before activating them, a radiant blue shield pushing forward before disappearing into the night air, the only telling sign was a feeble shimmer before he straightened up and headed inside, the rooms quickly being cleared out and linked up with a massive system underground, down in the fallout bunker of the abandoned university, and he lightly frowned before he spoke to himself. "How odd, I feel as if I missed out on a feasible matter of research, but why...?" He shook his head as he walked back outside and gazed across the empty state of the city before he heard the roar of a motorcycle and spotted the trio coming, Ember flying while Johnny and Kitty rode the small chopper before they came to the barrier and, instead of preventing them access, they slipped right past before stopping before him, rolling a part of their body as Johnny spoke with a grunt.  
"What the heck did you put up, my bones are feeling sore."  
"A Spectral Shield, but unique in it's own way." Abram motioned them in as he answered. "Whereas it will repel many ectoplasmic bodies, I had finetuned it to allow anything with a human structure inside, the only issue is that it will make them slightly sick or sore in their bodies."  
"And you just had such a thing readied up for your own use?" Ember asked as she shifted to her human form with Johnny and Kitty doing the same, the soreness fading away like it was never there.  
"Indeed, due to the increased presence of connections into the Ghost Zone, the world had started to slowly become more spectral and I made sizable measures for protection, but that is not what I seek here." They stopped in the main chamber and he spoke as he turned. "This entire place is undefended, I needed to finetune something before I can stop any unwanted visitors from coming, both human and spirit. You three have a different mission that I think you should do." He pulled out series sheets and gave them out before Kitty asked with a questioning look.

"Dani? Who is this Dani, I only know of the one and he's male and Phantom."  
"Exactly, and that is why I am sending all of you after her." The three looked up as Abram continued. "Dani is registering on a similar level as Phantom, what is even more perplexing is the appearance, she appears to be the same style, look, and behavior as Phantom. She has been sighted on the western coast." He pointed at Ember as he continued. "I have arranged a small tour bus to be your mode of transportation to keep a low profile and not use your ghost abilities all that often, people could catch on." The three nodded as he reached into a pocket and pulled out a earphone and handed it to Ember. "This will keep us connected and you can call for any aid as you need it, now getting going, we have little time before someone comes looking for trouble."  
"Don't worry, big guy." Ember smiled as she put the earphone on and continued. "This rock star has other plans in mind if this goes down the way I think it will." She turned and spoke as she walked past. "Come on, you two, we got some riding to do." Johnny and Kitty nodded as they smiled and headed out, the tour bus waiting them as she board with her friends, the chopper disappearing into Johnny's power before it took off and Abram watched them go before he turned around, the shutters closing and he started to work on his next devices...

* * *

Dani sat on the steps of a house, pondering her own standing on the matter of ghosts and... Danny. She took off to get some air on her new life, after being stabilized and leaving on good terms with her 'cousin' and Val, she took to the west, by the sea, to clear up her head and figure out her new plan of action, but all she has managed to do is spook a few people and sneak around to avoid the local law for their interest of transferring her into a orphanage and she was sure that it wouldn't have worked out as people would find out and she would be... shipped off closer to someone who didn't like ghosts or clones, or heroes... or girls. She ran a hand through her hair as she mused. "Man, I am thinking too far in the negatives, I'm free from Vlad, there is nothing bad happening to me, and I have a few friends to call my own." She shook her head as she took flight and zoom across the town before pausing, floating back to look at a billboard as it advertise a coming rock star, the hard 'Amber of Blue Flames'. She raised a brow as she felt that she had seen this rock star beforehand, but she couldn't plant a name to the face as she continued. "Well, if I don't know, then it is time to find out who is coming to the town and keep the town safe for the most part." She flew over to the site and set herself up in a high perch to look upon everything, the crowds coming in and setting up as she watched as a tour bus come in and parked as she zoomed over to get a better view of who was coming to play or scare, pausing above as the trio of members spoke, the strum of the guitar echoing to a tuning.  
"You sure about this, Amber, we could be caught."  
"Yeah, we don't have to if you don't feel up to it."  
"Now, that is some bold claims, guys." The leader was the same from the board, red hair with a streak of teal, jacket over the attire and solid-looking boots supporting her to the large teen and his love interest from a brief glance. "Look, no one is stopping you two from making off somewhere else and making out, I can perform with my old crew, they know the score, you just have to keep an eye out for anyone... not belonging in the show." The terming was strange as Dani narrowed her eyes to it.  
'Why would she say that, is there something they are hiding here?" The trio headed off in their separate ways, the lead going on stage with mist and fog flowing in from behind the curtains, the brute started to work with the tour bus, clearly holding a level of engineering, and his girlfriend headed to the back, checking over her make-up, Dani following the girlfriend as she seemed the less likely to expose her for some reason as she floated over the rafters and beams to see what could be seen, halting swiftly as it looked like electricity crackled out of her mouth in the similar way that Danny's powers alarmed him to ghosts with a chilled wisp, she didn't have it though she had seen it a few times. She turned with a grimace as a violet ring encircled her and she changed, her skin faded to white, her hair green, and her eyes red with a jumpsuit of a biker and leather jacket as she spoke.

"And here I thought that we weren't going to be right on target." Dani quietly gasped as she recognized the figure now, it was Kitty which means that, somehow, the large guy was Johnny 13, some of Danny's foes, but then who was Amber really as Kitty turned invisible and Dani looked around.  
"Where did she...!?"  
"Yo, shrimp..." Dani jumped as a bolt of electricity stuck her place and Kitty smiled as she readied bolts in her hands. "Let's play!" With that, Dani was in trouble and she could only hope that it could easily be dealt with, but knowing the sudden power, she could be wrong...

* * *

Sorry about this, but I think I am going to try to do it a bit better in the next one, 'The Bond', this one feels forced if anything else and I don't really like it when it is forced out as it is, I will try to take it a bit slower, but as of right now, the 'Halfa Dilemma' is completed.

If anyone has a problem with, please inform me and I will take it in to figure out what to do next.


End file.
